Showing Up for Her
by addictedtoscandal
Summary: A scene between Mellie and Fitz after Mellie embarrasses herself with an open mic. Mellitz.


Mellie's POV

"A star is born." Cyrus says as he turns the television off. "You should be so proud."

"I apologized. What more can I do?" I ask him. He's been hassling me on this issue for the last few days.

"You didn't just create a star, you created a movement." He recants.

"A movement, please." I say sarcastically. Who does he think he is? I am the first lady of the united states and I will not be talked to like a child.

"Her favor polls are up twelve points in the last two days. She's been top ten on Twitter for the last 48 hours, and you know what else is trending? Hashtag #Mellie'sABig…," he wasn't given time to finish before Fitz's loud voice surprised us both.

"LEAVE HER ALONE." He said. "Her apology was gracious…"

"Sir, with all due respect." Cyrus starts to cut in.

Fitz raises his voice again, "ENOUGH. Take a walk, Cyrus."

Cyrus walks out of the room, leaving Fitz and I alone. He isn't looking at me, just flipping through his debriefings. I suppose I should be happy with this. I can't capture my own husband's attention, but he will come running to my defense in a situation like this…

I take a deep breath before speaking… "Thank you." I say to him.

"We all make mistakes." He replies, before placing his hand on top of mine. I'm hesitant before joining our hands with my other hand. Who is this man? I think to myself. Surely this isn't my idiotic, philandering husband who declares war on me and hates me with all his being. This is a different side of Fitz. A side I haven't seen in quite awhile. This is the Fitzgerald I fell in love with, but he isn't this man anymore. He's cold, and hard, and different, and a cheater. I snatch my hands out of his and walk away as fast as I can, leaving him no further explanation. He doesn't deserve one. How dare he treat me with such malice, and then act so kindly as to defend me and then try to comfort me? No, thank you. I will comfort myself.

Fitz's POV

I've just finished with my day and I'm sitting on my bed in the residence. Our bed. I shouldn't say mine because it is ours. Mine and Mellie's. We don't always sleep in it together, but it is just as much hers as it is mine. Our youngest son Teddy was conceived in this bed. Seems like that was just yesterday, when it was actually over a year ago.

Today was different. A typical day in the office, but different. Mellie's comments made about the reporter has been blown out of proportion, and Cyrus has been harassing her about the issue nonstop. She made a mistake. We all do it. What I can't get over is why she walked away from in such a hurry today? She seemed so angry. All I wanted to do was comfort her. Cyrus would not stop pestering her and he was continuing to make her feel bad. It may have seemed like I was intently focusing on my debriefings, but all I could thing about was the pout on Mellie's face and her sad eyes. I know I'm not exactly a saint when it comes to yelling at my wife, but seeing her like that makes me want to protect her, regardless of the shambles our marriage is in.

Mellie walking out of the bathroom interrupts my thoughts. She's dressed for bed now and her makeup is removed. She's wearing a light pink, satin nightgown that I've seen her in a million times. She doesn't say much, just gives me a light smile and walks over to her side of the bed. Our bed.

I can't help myself from asking. "What was that today?"

"What do you mean, Fitz?" she replies. She's evading. She knows exactly what I'm talking about.

"This morning, in the residence, while I was going over my debriefings and Cyrus was nagging you about the comments you made towards the reporter. I was trying to comfort you afterwards and you just walked away…" I don't mean to sound so despaired when saying this to her, but I can't help it.

"Fitz, I appreciate you sticking up for me but I wouldn't exactly call that comfort. You were busy reading…"

"I was trying to be there for you and you walked away from me, Mellie. Was I busy with my debriefings? Yes. I'm the President, I'm a busy man. But I was also trying to be there for you and you just pushed me away."

"Would you just leave it alone. Why does it matter?"

"It matters because my feelings are hurt, Mellie!" I'm angry now.

"Your feelings are hurt? Your feelings are hurt, Fitzgerald? How do you think I feel every minute of everyday knowing that my husband is in love with another woman. How do you think I feel when you sleep next to me and get erections in your sleep dreaming of Olivia Pope? How do you think I feel knowing that at the end of your presidential term you're going to throw divorce papers at me and run off into the sunset with your precious Olivia. Don't talk to me about hurt feelings, Fitzgerald!" I stop pacing and stare right at her. How had I not known that I hurt her this much? Does she love me? Is she in love with me?

"Mellie, I'm…I'm sorry." I stutter trying to get the words out.

"Save it. Let's just go to bed." I think I see a tear fall from her eye and she moves to turn the bedside lamp off.

I strip down to my boxers and T-shirt and climb into bed beside her. There's a large amount of space in between us and I want nothing more than to reach out to her. To try comforting her again.

"Mellie…" I whisper quietly.

"Just go to bed, Fitz." She's crying. I can hear it in her tone of voice. Mellie never cries. I really hurt her. My affair has ruined her.

I reach out and touch her shoulder, closing the distance between us.

"Mellie, please talk to me…"

"What is there to talk about Fitz? I'm sorry I'm crying, okay? Just let me get some sleep and I promise I'll be better tomorrow."

"No, not okay. Come here." I try to pull her close to me but she pushes me away.

"Fitz, please just leave me alone…"

"NO. Come here." I use my authoritative voice I had to use with Cyrus today. I need to comfort her. Regardless of the shipwreck that we call our marriage, I care about this woman and I need to be there for her.

I reach out to her again and she finally gives in, turning towards me and burying her head in my chest. I forgot how good her hair smelled. She's openly crying now and all I can do is rub her back and occasionally offer her a word of comfort.

"Hey, it's okay. Shh, it's gonna be okay, Mellie." I kiss her forehead and continue to rub her back.

"How did we get here, Fitz? How did we let this happen? How did I let this happen." She's upset and starting to cry harder. I can't handle this. I need to get control of this situation.

"Mellie, look at me." I grab her chin and force her eyes to meet mine. "I don't know how we got here, but that's not what's important.." she tries to interrupt me but I just continue. "Let me be here for you tonight. Just for one night, lets stop hating each other and be there for one another. You can cry as much as you want and I promise I'll hold you and tomorrow we will deal with the consequences, okay?"

"Okay." She quietly responds.

I kiss her forehead and begin to hold her tighter. We both might regret this in the morning. I know Olivia wouldn't be happy to see what I'm doing right now, but I don't care. My wife needs me and I'm going to show up for her.


End file.
